


The Last Enemy

by phoenixjustice



Category: Death Note
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-17
Updated: 2013-01-17
Packaged: 2017-11-25 21:00:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 11
Words: 22,916
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/642905
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/phoenixjustice/pseuds/phoenixjustice
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Up to episode 25 of the anime, with spoilers of the anime and manga.</p><p>Light's master plan to kill L is shot down by one person's foolish decision and the result leaves Light and Kira at odds within Light.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. 0.06 seconds

_Idolatry is committed, not merely by setting up false gods, but also by setting up false devils; by making men afraid of war or alcohol, or economic law, when they should be afraid of spiritual corruption and cowardice. -G.K. Chesterton_

It was the day of L's execution, the day Rem would fulfill her promise to Light and kill the world's greatest detective. Rain poured from the sky in buckets and the detective was nowhere in sight. Light frowns, gazing unseeingly at the screen in front of him. It had been more than fifteen minutes and that was unusual for the detective to stay away that long.

Glancing over at the detectives, he stands up and walks out of the workroom, almost feeling the handcuffs that were no longer there. A search of the rooms he comes across (the ones which he could enter without a password anyway) finds nothing. He walks up the stairs and looks at the door in front of him.

With an inward sigh, he opens up the door; the sound of the wind and rain enveloping him. L was standing there, face tilted up towards the rain, hair plastered to his head from the downpour. L was such an enigma; he was unlike anyone he had ever known. He was such an opposite to him in so many ways, yet when it came to the important things, they were just alike. Opposite sides of the same coin.

It felt so wonderful to find ( _finally_ ) a true equal. It was just sad that L had to be opposed to Kira, for together, they would be an unstoppable force. He realizes that he's just been staring at him, and takes a step forward.

"What are you doing, Ryuuzaki?" He asked the world's greatest detective.

L turns to him slowly, looking at him with that ever intense stare, but with a different look behind them than before. L cups one hand over his ear, looking at Light now, questioningly.

"What are you doing, Ryuuzaki?!" Light yells over the rain.

L's eyes widen a bit and he seemed to hear Light's voice over the rain this time. The detective gives a grin and leans slightly forward, exaggerating the gesture with his ear. The teen felt slightly surprised as he looked at L, and he found himself walking forward before he really realized he was doing so.

The rain comes down onto him hard as he leaves the shelter of the rooftop door, though the wind had slackened somewhat. It only took a few steps to come to stand in front of the enigmatic detective.

"What are you doing, Ryuuzaki?" He asks again, much softer this time. L looks away, gazing upward again as he had been when Light first came up to the rooftop.

"I've been listening to the bells."

Bells? Just what the hell was L talking about _now_?

It was silent outside for once, other than the noise from the wind and rainfall. "Bells." Light had to ask; he couldn't hear anything of the sort.

"Can't you here them, Light-kun? The bells are really loud today," said L softly. "Either from a wedding or..." He trailed off, glancing away again. The look on the detectives face was so forlorn that it surges a response of sympathy in Light; a feeling which he had to push away fiercely, for he couldn't feel anything of the sort towards L.

"Come on Ryuuzaki, let's go inside; they're waiting for us."

L turns to look at him. "I'm sorry." Murmured L.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Once they get inside the building, they both grab towels from the closet on the side of the room that the door which led to the roof was on. He was already sitting on the steps, rubbing his hair dry as L comes shuffling over with a towel on his head. Light was still drying his head off when L suddenly kneels on the step below him and grabs Light's foot, causing Light to flinch in surprise.

"W-what are you doing?"

The detective looks up at him. "I thought Light-kun might like a massage; I'm pretty good at them." He sits there and tries to ignore the fluttering in his stomach as L caressed his feet (there was no other way he could put it.) He sees water dripping from L's hair and towels it off without thought, touching the side of L's face; but he made it something all right to do in his own head by making himself believe that it would look strange if he didn't reciprocate the nice thing that L was doing for him (when all along his heart was beating rather strangely).

"I'm sorry," said L. Why would he say that?

The detective stops the motions and Light looks at him; he was feeling the invisible weight of inevitability coming ever closer. L's last day was soon at hand and Kira would become the God of the new world.

"We should head back." Said Light.

Very soon...

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

She hated this! She hated not being able to help her Light! She had become more than useless to him, even _with_ the Eyes. She _had_ to remember Ryuuzaki's name! She had to--!

...She dreamt.

It had been a great and a terrible day for her, the day she dreams of; great because she got to see her Light and terrible because it was also the day she was captured under suspicion of being the Second Kira. She sees the day as it progresses, through her dreamself's eyes; watching as she walked with Rem by her side, and her happiness at seeing Light, standing next to the most strange looking man...man...she wills her eyes to look up and see the name...the _name!_

She is rewarded as the floating lifespan and name come into her vision. His name...

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

She wakes up with a gasp, jumping off her bed in a hurry, ignoring Ryuk's sudden exclamation behind her and goes over to her desk. On the top of the desk lay the Death Note that she had received, per Light's instructions and she quickly takes a seat on the chair in front of it. The Note lay opened up, with a page and a half of names clearly written down, with some of them not scheduled to die for a few days or weeks, as Light had asked her to do.

She remembered! Light would love his Misa forever and ever for remembering his elusive name!

She picks up the pen that lay in the middle of the book and looks down at it for a moment.

With a few simple strokes and forty seconds...L Lawliet would die and Kira could begin his reign over a new world.

A strike of lightning flashes just as she starts to put her pen to the paper--

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

This was the final thing she would do for Misa and also for Light Yagami, whom she had come to care for, believing in him and Misa both, seeing their innocence that even they, along with others, could not see.

This would save Misa, for if Light Yagami was uncovered, then it wouldn't be much longer that Misa would, and the 13 day rule would only hold so long; L was about to test it on prisoners soon, and he would know that it was a lie and that two Kira's existed right underneath his nose.

She eyes L for a moment, watching all the detectives talk, leaving her unnoticed. She slips away and glides by another person, Qullish Wammy, L's cohort; surely he could not be left around either. She would make sure to kill him too.

Finding a suitable place, she lets out an unneeded breath and grabs her Death Note and pen. With a few simple strokes and forty seconds...L Lawliet would cease to exist...as would she, if she managed to survive forty seconds.

A flash of lightning strikes just as she puts her pen down onto the **Note--**

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

She writes the name Qullish Wammy--

_She felt a sudden hesitation, like something was making her wait for the right moment to write L's name down--_

She gives a small gasp as the disintegration starts to begin and hurries to put her pen down to write L's name--

_She puts her pen down onto the paper--_

She writes L's name down--

_She writes L's name down--_

Her body crumbles into dust. 'All for you...Misa...'

 _She felt the sudden desire to weep_.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

_All data deleted! All data deleted! All data deleted!_

It filled the screen. "Watari?" L asked. Lightning passes the windows and L exclaims, "The Shinigami! Everyone, the Shi--" He stops suddenly and Light holds his breath; this was the moment!

L's eyes widen and he clutches at his chair for a moment before falling out of his chair; the moment seeming to slow down before Light's eyes. This was it!

_No!_

It was...something strange. Some distant part of himself; no? What would the word 'no' accomplish? This was the moment Kira could rise as a God!

L's body falls to the ground with a sudden loud thud and the detectives all gasp and rush over.

"Ryuuzaki!!"

He had felt immobilized until he hears the thud and he starts to move over towards them all when something comes that he did not expect--

"I am fine. Stop fussing."

Ryuuzaki was talking, Ryuuzaki was starting to slowly stand up...Ryuuzaki was _living!_

His feet run off when he gets far enough away so they wouldn't notice the sound. Damn that Rem! She must have just had time to kill Watari and failed to write L's name down! He sees something in one of the small side rooms and sees a pile of dust with a Death Note in it.

The sight of such a crushing defeat, mixed with the knowledge that the world's greatest detective still lived...he breaks.

And a war within begins.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

**Pick up the Death Note! What are you doing, you fool?! We must take it before the detectives come looking!**

_No! I will not pick up that murder tool! I won't do it!_

**Fool named Light Yagami! You know what must be done! I, we, as Kira am doing a service for the world! This place is rotten and needs to be cleansed of all people who are unworthy!**

_Who are you, I...who has the right to judge that? I only wanted to help the world! I didn't want to slaughter it! And you--you--you're me, but you're not._

**I am righteous! I am the entity known as Kira who has eradicated scores of criminals and fools who did not deserve to live! With the Death Note, we can change the world Light! PICK IT UP!**

_NO! You--you're something else; me, mixed with venom and hatred and **evil**. The Death Note corrupts all who touch it, but not me. Not any longer. I won't be apart of this egotism, becoming this megalomaniac--killing all, judging all. I am not that person. **You have no right!**_

**Quit being an idiot and _think_ Light! If you do not, if _we_ do not, kill L within a few days, he will have used a criminal to test the thirteen day rule and he will find out the truth. You value your life more than anything else and _I_ value it because we are together; I am you, but I am also me and I cannot be away from you. **

_...You're not me!_

Laughter echoed from his lips; laughter that was not his own.

**I am justice! I avenge all those deserving and kill those undeserving. I am Kira. You created me; when you used the Death Note, I was born--this side of your persona. I am the part willing to do whatever it takes to change the world, even if you won't. For the last time, pick up the notebook!**

He falls to his knees, gritting his teeth as his arms get pulled this way and that way; he turned one way and he was turned another by...by Kira, though it sounded so unreal to his own thoughts, but ones which he could not deny.

_I am in control! Light Yagami is controlled by no person or being, whether that is L, the detectives, Shinigami **or** Kira! The Note--book--stays!_

He lets out a cry as he manages to push back Kira within himself, aching and falling back on his butt just as his father and Matsuda pass by.

"Light!" Exclaimed his father.

They come into the room as well and he points with a slightly shaky hand at the pile of dust that was once Rem, and the Death Note still laying there.

"I--I think that was, Rem." He said, trying to steady his voice and his body. "The Notebook is still there, I didn't touch it yet. You should pick it up for--for Ryuuzaki."

He felt a sense of relief when his father picks up the notebook and gives it to Matsuda who heads back the way they came. Light stands up with a hand from his father.

"Are you all right, Light?" Asked his father. "I know it's a lot to take in."

He didn't pick up the Death Note, L wasn't dead and he had denied Kira.

**This isn't the end of this, Light. Not by a long shot.**

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

A/N: The 0.06 second rule is one of the Death Note rules and it's like this; if a person's name is written down in a Death Note and then written in ANOTHER Death Note within 0.06 seconds of being written in the first one, the person will not die.

Guh, there are so many awesome DN rules for ideas. XD

I hope I did okay with the whole rooftop scene and all, I think I did pretty well as I was just going from memory...I tried to write it all down as accurately as I remembered it...

Tell me what you thought!

\--PhoenixJustice

 


	2. Logical and Illogical

" _The truth will set you free, but first it will make you miserable." James A. Garfield_

Ryuuzaki holds the Death Note between his thumb and forefinger, gazing at the innocent looking notebook which held so much malevolence and so many other darker things inside of its pages. Such a small thing that had witnessed--and caused--death upon deaths. Logic said that killing a person with only a name and a face--or just a face as with the Second Kira because of the Eyes--was something illogical, but it was something that had been proven over and over by the masses who died under it's 'illogical' nature. Logic said that a notebook and pen could never be used in a mass-murder the likes of which the world had never seen--and doubtlessly would never see again (even if Kira imitators tried to pop up).

Logic was supposed to be a near infallible thing, but cracks were appearing in its armor--the same as cracks were appearing in Kira's armor, some subtle, others larger, but appearing nonetheless. L Lawliet followed his own brand of logic, not the same as everyone else followed, no, but something that had been crafted slowly from the age of seven when he had appeared at Wammy's House for the first time and after. His form of logic accepted the appearance of a Death Note very well--the Shinigami had been a harder pill to swallow; to have to believe in such a thing was bitter to him because it had so many more impossibilities and factors and unknown things that he could not control, could not learn and that tugged at him and ate away at him.

Whatever he had learned from the Death Note, had learned from the Shinigami Rem...it was not enough, and would not be enough, at least not yet, for L's own brand of logic demanded that he test out the 13-day rule out, the rule that stood out immediately as being fake. He sometimes he wished he were around more people of his own level of intelligence (Kira did not count!), that could help him see the things that he might possibly be missing.

Light Yagami fulfilled his every desire when it came to finding someone to be able to, _finally_ , speak to on an intelligence level that no one else had come even close to matching. He provided L with endless sorts of conversations and in their continued race to one-up each other he had felt alive as he never had in his static existence. As gratifying it was to be able to argue one night over the inconsistencies in something or the nature of another, as gratifiying it was to watch over Light Yagami when he was unawares,--a dangerous thing that L could not fully stop himself from doing--, as gratifying as it was to see the look on Light's face when L gained a point in his favor in their ever-waging war of theirs, it was a dangerous pasttime that would soon reach a conclusion once he spoke the words to have the criminal he picked out--a thoughtless murderer (though not nearly as evil as Kira) who would be executed soon anyway--and waited the thirteen days for the answer he knew would be coming, something that Light Yagami would no longer be able to deny; Light Yagami is Kira. And soon would come the point to where Light would no longer be able to hide behind _any_ facade.

As much as the investigative team believed in Light, L believed in Light--as Kira. He was 99 percent certain now that Light was Kira and it would become 100 percent once his hypothesis was proven to be correct.

Watari, no, Qullish Wammy...master inventor and detective...was dead. This was a fact that could not be denied and was being taken care of by Ide-san, Mogi-san and Yagami-san the same moment that he gazes upon the Note. Qullish had been apart of his life for so long now, more than half of it and it hurt. Qullish was not a father to him, nor a grandfather, but he had been his closest, his _only_ , companion for such a long time and the fact that he would no longer have the presence of the man around him was a cold hard one to have to realize indeed. He would have to remember--as if he would ever truly forget--to speak to Roger about it soon.

Thinking helped the mind, at least his; the continual motion of his thoughts helped to keep the sorrow and anger at bay, emotions which he could not afford to dwell in too deeply. Contrary to who thought he was just being stubborn and refused to see the truth, the detectives, Light, Amane-san, whoever; he did not want Light Yagami to be Kira. Light had given him the intellectual stimulation that he had been sorely lacking (for all of Watari's strengths, intelligence being one of them, he could not compete on L's level--this wasn't egotism on his part, it was merely a fact), he played tennis with him and for a small window of time--even while his mind worked on the percentage of Light Yagami possibly being Kira--he allowed himself a modicum of relaxation and felt that first spark that made him know what being alive like other people felt like.

For he was 'L', world's three greatest detectives, and he was not allowed the luxery of normalcy like everyone else--he couldn't allow it. Light had given him many other things; introductions to new outlets, like fighting--he never had a true chance to try out the capeiora skills (that he had learned from Naomi Misora1) out on anyone. Fighting Light had been a kind of release in and of itself. Trading words along with blows was one of the most gratifying things he had ever experienced before--maybe even better than cake (though that thought was almost too impossible to believe.)

There was also something else--a darker thing that ran through L's system which was ignored at all costs. He did not allow himself to watch over Light Yagami too often, because the most wild and completely unfathomable thoughts would pop into his head and he would have to get another piece of cake, or coffee, and wash the unneeded thoughts away. He could not have any sort of good feeling about Light Yagami because that would be his downfall and Kira would win. He could never like Light Yagami, could never let the passions that sometimes felt would spill over, win. He held an attraction inside him for the obviously beautiful man--one who had the name of _murderer! Killer! Kira!,_ running through his veins. He would rather dry up and become a complete hermit than allow himself to be taken control over by hormones which would try and convince him of Kira being someone other than Kira, of Kira being only Light Yagami (which was a fact that he would never wrap his head around).

It was a blessing, those days he had been handcuffed to Light, that Light had been prudish enough that he would turn around to dress and L could turn and think of a former case or such to keep himself occupied while those glimpses of skin could be put back into a shirt and jeans once more as well as a blessing that Light had flat-out refused to shower with him and L would chain him to the bed (not as good as it could have sounded) and would take a shower alone. It was in those few and far between times that sometimes L would finally give into the building pressure that never seemed to go away and would wrap his hand around his throbbing cock and would carefully keep from thinking about anything--or anyone--in general as he stroked himself to completion. But there had been a few cases when the pressure was too great and his mind too open and the image of Light, Light turning to look at him, Light smiling almost sincerely, glimpses of tantalizing skin and a voice that sometimes turned husky without realizing it, would come into his head and he would have to bite his lip so hard to keep from crying out that it would bleed as he came hard in his own hand.

Those few times would have to do (just because he was an antisocial person didn't mean that he didn't feel emotions the same as others, or passions, in this case) because he would not let himself get trapped in the web of lust that Light Yagami had snared so many other willing females into.

Light Yagami could not, _would not_ , be allowed to win. No matter what the sacrifice that must be made--a sacrifice that L thought moments earlier he would have to pay, after the screen flashed _All Data Deleted_ and he thought he had felt a twinge in his heart, causing him to fall out of his chair. He had felt mortal fear truly for the first time then, at the first twinge; he thought that Kira had somehow won at last, that Kira, Light, had somehow figured out his name and a means which to kill him. But his next breath had come surprisingly easy and he had looked up to see Light running away, a sign of guilt? That sign is what had Light's probability of being Kira up to 99.1 percent now.

He stops his stare contest with the notebook and sets it down on the desk in front of him. Turned away from Matsuda-san, Aizawa-san and Light-kun, he stares at the blank screens in front of him--they had yet to be turned back on, rebooted. He holds back a sigh that wanted permission to leave his throat, denied!, and raises a hand. With a few simple pushes on his keyboard, the computers and screens come back to life and L was allowed to begin again.

A shadow passes over him and he holds back a shiver as he gets approached by--

"Ryuuzaki..."

Why couldn't Light-kun just stay away? He was making things more difficult than L wanted or needed. Using that tone of voice--one almost like the one he used when he had lost his memories of the Death Note (for he believed that he had them back now). It sounded so real that L hated him for it.

He jerks back a little, unable to help himself, when Light touches his shoulder, making him feel as if he was branded with a hot iron. Folly..foolish...dangerous...too dangerous...he would never allow evil to succeed. He gets himself into check in a quick moment and turns to look at Light, hating Light all the more for the look in his eyes, the sincerity that had to be just as false as that facade he was putting on.

Damn you, Kira...

"I'm sorry about your loss, Ryuuzaki." Murmured Light. "...Are you all right? You fell out of your chair pretty hard."

As L looks up at Light, he reacts; he pushes a couple of buttons on his keyboard without looking at it, and a phone suddenly rings, once, twice, before getting picked up.

"Yes?"

L continues to look at Light as he utters his next words; "I believe we are ready to proceed. I want you to get the criminal to write the chosen name down in exactly one hour. Watari is dead, so I will be using that time to create another means which you can use to contact me. Be ready in one hour and forty seconds; call me after the person dies."

He pushes a button to stop the conversation, never breaking his gaze from Light's the whole time.

_Your move, Light-kun._

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

1-- Naomi Misora taught L how to use capeiora, the brazilian style of fighting which he uses, that we've seen him use in the anime and manga. This is explained in How to Read 13.

 


	3. It Begins

_It was only one hour ago_

_It was all so different then_

_Nothing yet has really sunk in_

_Looks like it always did_

_-Grieve, Peter Gabriel_

_Day One_

It was there like a sickness in the back of his mind. He could feel it. _Kira._ It felt strange to call it that, much less think of it as a different being than his own, but although it was part of him in a way, it _wasn't_ him. That part of himself reveled in the deaths of so many people, that part which was willing to sacrifice the lives of innocent F.B.I agents who had been just doing their job and didn't seem to be onto him anytime soon. That part of him was dark and malevolent, it was _evil_. A part of him that was no longer him, a part which he knew was just biding his, _its,_ time until he could free himself again.

Light could never let that happen.

Regardless of his sudden change, Light knew that confessing to L that he didn't want to kill anymore, would be a death sentence. And trying to explain Kira as a secondary being within his body--L would probably just see it as a ruse to protect himself.

Which meant that something had to change L's mind drastically within thirteen days; thirteen days-- since he could not stop L from calling many minutes earlier, nearly an hour, and would be using a prisoner to test out the Death Note-- and it would all be over for him. So he had to work his hardest to change L's mind, one way or the other, for he could not kill L even if he _did_ know his name. It was wrong and he couldn't--

He just barely holds back a shiver when the voice of Kira suddenly speaks out, **Look at you, Light; weak and pathetic! Would you rather keep him alive than yourself?** _ **Our**_ **self? I will do it for you, if you won't--you cannot hold me back forever, no matter how much of a genius you are. I am fueled by the darker things and the Death Note; your will shall only last so long and the moment you break, I will see that eccentric man dead, by my own hands if needed!**

That voice made the sickness in him grow deeper; it was similar to his voice, though deeper and slightly more husky; the differences made him feel only marginally better. _You'll do no such thing! My will is stronger than you think, and I will find a way--on my own--to convince L of my innocence; you are the evil one, not I. How many things have you done in my name, in my body?...Nevermind, I don't want to hear you. But_ _ **you**_ _hear_ _ **this**_ _; I will see you cast out and eradicated for good, if it is the last thing I do!_

He could feel Kira grinning inside and had to touch a hand to his face to make sure that Kira hadn't made him smile on the outside--small facial expressions and such was something he seemed to be able to do even now--and he hadn't.

"Light-kun? You've been quiet for fifty-six and a half minutes now and you have been just staring at your screen." L said, blandly.

He closes his eyes briefly, pushing mentally on the black spot in his mind, that he knew was the representation of Kira, to keep him, _it,_ at bay and opens his eyes, turning to look at L who was looking at him as he always did; wide fathomless black eyes that did not easily clue someone into what the mind behind them was thinking. A thumb rested between his lips and Light vaguely wondered (not for the first time) if the thumb thing, and L's other mannerisms were a form of a coping mechanism, not just the increase in his thinking, as L had said to him a long while back.

It seemed the more genius a person was, the more... _fragile_...they were in some ways that regular people were not. And L was in a league nearly by himself (only Light could stake claim to the same place as L), and he had been alone, or nearly so, for so long. Having only Watari, and that wasn't always 24/7 either, for company must have been such a bother to L. While Watari had been a formidable older gentleman in his own right, having to have been quite smart to be able to deal with L on such a regular basis, he was not on the same level as he or L and L must have been quite starved for company before Light came around.

...Then again, Light was the same; he had been so very bored before. Before L came around, before Fate decided to be a cruel mistress and let him be the one to gaze upon the Death Note and to pick it up. But if he hadn't...then it was very likely that he would never have met L under _any_ circumstance and that was a thought that was quite horrid to him. L had made him feel _alive_ in the first time in a long while, maybe even truly so for the first time ever; everything had always come easy to Light and he suffered under the weight of his genius; no one had come even close to his level, he had had no one to talk to that would truly understand what he was trying to get across, he had been stuck in a rut and thought that he would feel that way always. But then a innocent looking Notebook had some into his sites...and in exchange for an enlarged ego and megalomanism, which was now its own entity, Kira, he had gained the value of an almost friendship with an eccentric man whose presence he had come to value more than he realized, Kira now separate from him or not.

He...he hesitated to say anything about the feeling, unsure of just what it was as he had never felt anything quite like it before; all the girls he had went with, all the so-called friends he had had...it wasn't the same. It didn't speak of lust on its own, of love on its own, or even friendship on its own...he wasn't sure what it was. It didn't speak of anger or vengeance, or anything of that sort either...he didn't know.

He blinks and takes in L's glance once more, a look which had never waivered the whole time Light had been pondering. It was unnerving sometimes, that look, and he had to keep himself from swallowing audibly.

"Just...just thinking, Ryuuzaki," said Light, softly. "I mean...I know that what the end result will be with your criminal and my innocence--and Misa's as well--will be proven without doubt. I know you have trouble letting go of your opinion because you have no other suspects, but that's also because you focused so strongly on me and Misa and didn't allow yourself room to suspect other people. No matter how many times I've proclaimed my innocence, no matter how much I've proven myself by helping with the Yotsuba situation, or evidence proving my innocence beyond doubt...you cannot let go; it's not in your nature, I know, because even with a 0.1 percent of doubt still left in your mind, you will keep at it until it is either 100 percent or 0 percent, with absolute certainty. So I don't mind you doing this test...other than you sacrificing a life, _two lives_ , just to prove a point you think you have...because I know that I am innocent and will be proven so. I am not Kira."

The latter he could say with certainty at least, the other part...well, even with Kira being separate, even if Kira _had_ done those things...it had been his body, his hand which had delivered out that justice, so he could not call himself innocent. He had seen too many things, had done too many things, warped by the Death Note and the entity Kira which was slowly enveloping him with each kill; his hands were stained and even if he hadn't been the one...he was far from innocent.

L blinks slowly as he looks at him. "I want Light-kun to be proven innocent too, beyond any doubt. It's why I am doing this; either I get absolute proof that you are Kira and I can seek out the justice then, or you will be proven innocent beyond doubt and I can let Light-kun go," he said, almost mournfully. He glances aside. "I've...missed our conversations that we had while hunting down the Third Kira and the Yotsuba group."

Yes, those had been nothing short of amazing. "Me too," Light said. "I also miss playing tennis against you; you're the best opponent I've ever had." Even if the match had been played so L could try and figure out Light Yagami in a closer setting, it had still been the best match he could remember playing.

L smiles slightly, still not quite looking at Light, not seeming to be looking at anything in particular, perhaps reminising? "Yes...if Light-kun gets his freedom like he says he will, then we must certainly play again." A beeping sound from the screen in front of him causes him to turn around. "But that will have to wait for now." He types on a few buttons and a voice speaks suddenly from the other line.

"Ryuuzaki? Is everything all right? We lost contact for a few minutes and we got worried. Where is Watari?" Light couldn't place the voice; he had never heard it before, but it seemed to be from an older gentleman and he heard the accent that spoke of being from, or having lived in for a long time, England.

"Watari is dead," said L, getting straight to the point. "Suffice to say it had something to do with the Kira case, not necessarily by Kira himself but by an...associate...of Kira's. For the time being, I would like you to be the go-between for me, the new Watari, until a time may present itself that I find another method to use."

"Of course. What about the--"

L interrupts him, leaving Light wondering what the man had been going to say that was so important that L felt the need to interrupt him, "It's fine, continue to do what you have been doing. There is little that you must do as Watari right now; I have a few people here who can take over many of the smaller details. You should be contacted by someone in--" He glances at the clock on the wall. "Two and a half minutes to patch them through to me, since they cannot, and I will not allow them, to contact me directly. Inform me when they call and let them through."

"All right, Ryuuzaki." The man hangs up and L switches the call off, turning back to Light again. "Not long to wait now."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Two and a half minutes was not a long amount of time, except in this case as he knew that when the two and a half minutes were up, a criminal would have used a page of the Death Note and someone would be dead, leaving Light with only thirteen days in which to change L's mind or something else of the same caliber, as the rule would prove false and he would be uncovered.

He couldn't stand the waiting, so he stands, mumbles, "I'll be right back.", and walks off, needing some fresh air.

L watches Light leave, seeing the anxiousness in the younger man's eyes that he could not hide. It just seemed to add to Light's guilt, which both made L feel better and worse simultaniously. Part of him wanted to follow Light, like Light had done when he was on the rooftop (for it was obvious that was where Light was going).

A sudden beep takes him out of his thoughts and he turns to his computer, pushing a few buttons.

"They've just contacted me, Ryuuzaki." Ah, Roger. Roger Ruvie1 that was, the man who was in charge of Wammy's House, the orphanage which L had lived in for a long while and where children were, at that very moment, working their way up to try and take the position of L...though L didn't deign to tell them that he had no intention of naming a successor, whether that be Near, Mello, Matt or any of the other Wammy's House children. In fact, the only person who was best equipped at the time to become the next L, was also the one who he was almost completely sure was Kira.

"All right, patch them through." He said. He waited impatiently as the call gets patched into his system; he notices the detectives crowding around him; they wanted to hear the news as well.

"It's all over, L." The man, Frank Albert, a top F.B.I agent. "Giuseppi killed the other criminal you asked us to use. Worked exactly as you said it would; wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen the goddamn thing with my own eyes. Is there anything else that needs to be done?"

He pushes the button for the microphone to speak into, "No, nothing extra is necessary. Just watch over Giuseppi like I asked and call back immediately if something comes up before the thirteen days are over. I will call you myself right before the thirteen day mark is up."

"All right. Then I'll be getting back to work." Said Frank. "Till then."

He hangs up and it was silent on L's end; no one spoke or even looked at one another. He could feel the disapproval from the detectives, Yagami-san especially. He didn't need their criticism, and it would be ignored, though he couldn't say that it didn't hurt him slightly. He wasn't a damned robot, he felt feelings the same as everyone else. He just couldn't allow most of them in, or to get to him, but he felt things too.

He stands up, ignoring the sudden startled exclamation from Matsuda and walks past them without a word, following the way Light did, ready to follow Light like Light did with him.

Only thirteen days left...he would have to make the most of them before the truth would finally be revealed.

Thirteen days...

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

1-- Roger Ruvie is the person who runs Wammy's House for Quillish Wammy (Watari) and later on in the series, he becomes the second Watari to Near, the second L.

 


	4. Every Beginning...

_Out of the darkness, my heart sings to me. Revenant wings spread dischord through a disharmonized world. Fire seared its back, the roar of discontent burns the world. The weakness is death; I push it away. I shall become the leader of the new world; its God, Kira the savior. I am making the world a better place, forty seconds at a time. All shall come to bow. The Reapers abide by my hand; Gods of Death follow my word for I mean good for all and I can entertain them. Follow me; take my hand and listen to my word, for redemption is near. I have sacrificed myself for you, so do not let me down; Kira awaits you-- Kira's Redemption by PhoenixJustice_

**Day One**

He finds Light on the rooftop, the younger man absorbed in his own thoughts as he had been only a short while ago. The sounds of the bells were now silent against the backdrop of the city; he wasn't sure if that was a good omen or a bad one. He stands still, letting himself watch Light as the younger man stays lost in thought, shoulders looking tense

Light was acting a bit different than he had been not so long ago. It wasn't the fakeness that he had sometimes witnessed, nor the surprising innocence that for a time, felt believable, no...It was something else entirely.

The younger man looked so lost standing there, eyes distant, seeing but not truly seeing. It created a feeling that his mind said was sympathy, a feeling which was too dangerous to feel for the younger man, the mass-murderer known as Kira.

It didn't help that Light was beautiful.

Lawliet didn't define himself as 'gay' or 'straight' because he had never been attracted to anyone before he first gazed upon Light Yagami's too-perfect face. Light was the only person who could compete on his level, something he had given up on finding, and continued to challenge him even now. He didn't want Light to be Kira as much as he _wanted_ him to be. He didn't want this little game between him, Kira and L, Light and Lawliet, to be over because either way, whether it was certain Light was Kira or not, he doubted that he would ever gaze upon him again and that was a thought that was tormenting to him, the thought that he would no longer have that challenge, that passion that had awakened truly for the first time within him.

He takes a few steps forward, his bare feet treading the gravelly rooftop with care. Even as he comes closer, Light takes no notice of him; his thoughts seemed to be taking hold of him rather than his ignoring L, he seemed too lost in thought to notice anything.

He was finally looking his age as he stood there, looking lost and alone.

L takes the last few steps forward to get over to him and puts a hand on Light's shoulder, finding it ironic that Light allowed him to come out of his self-imposed shell, at least in bits and pieces. When it came to touching, however, he found that it was easiest to touch Light, touching other people still made him feel a bit anxious and he could talk much more than he used to, to other people up close. (Then again, not many had ever seen him so up-close before, so he could just have been rusty because of that reason...?)

Light starts slightly under L's touch, but he doesn't turn around towards him.

"Kira uses the Death Note as his killing method." Said Light suddenly. "A Notebook that was meant for Shinigami, for Gods of Death; I wonder what the repercussions could be for him, using such a tool that was never meant for human hands."

_Are you trying to say something like that as an excuse for your deeds, Light-kun? But...I find you rather sincere; not the fake act which you put on so well, so perfectly, and which only I have ever doubted. But this...you truly look sincere to me now. Either you have gotten so good at what you do that you are now able to fool everyone now, including myself (or I should say, you fooled everyone up until now and now you have ensnared **me** ) or...you truly are being sincere because you aren't Kira or you **are** Kira and perhaps you are starting to feel sorry for your actions now or...maybe you have the right idea about the Death Note?_

_Such a tool, you said, and I do agree with that. A Reapers killing tool; a dark thing which perhaps **can** stain the human hand--_

He scowls slightly, angry at himself for starting to believe in something almost as easily as he did. He couldn't relent. Thirteen days would show the complete truth once and for all, but he could not let himself grow soft or forget anything for one second; Light Yagami was Kira and he couldn't ever forget that, or it would be to his cost. He nearly lost his life so many times now, because he became absorbed in the being that was Light Yagami, almost to his cost. Beautiful or not, he couldn't ever forget that Light was a mass-murderer, and it would be folly to think otherwise.

It was always the beautiful ones that would get you in the end.

"Is that as good as a confession, Light-kun?" He murmurs. "For you know what I think."

He could tell Light was frowning, even without looking at him, having known him for a long time now and having had the time to see all his mannerisms and such up close.

"I'm not Kira, Ryuuzaki," said Light, just as softly. "Kira is...an evil being, a thing that should not exist in this world; whatever he used to be, I doubt there is anything left of that other part in his being; the Death Note feels-- _wrong_. It feels harmful, and hurtful, and wrong. It feels _evil_. Obviously it doesn't affect Shinigami as I think it does humans, for Shinigami are Gods of Death and we humans, for all our strengths and intelligence, are inherently fragile creatures who can be stomped down with ease. I know my intelligence and the like work against me sometimes, because it makes you believe that I'm Kira but," He turns to look at L directly in the eye this time and L almost gasped aloud from the look in Light's eyes, a look that was so full of fire but yet was so far from Kira that L almost believed that Light wasn't Kira.

It made L _want_ to believe.

"If I have been lax in any way in proving my innocence," said Light, that firey passion still blazing in his eyes. "Then no longer; I swear I will do everything I possibly can to prove to you that I am not Kira."

L widens his eyes in skepticism. "And you believe you can give me undisputable proof of your innocence in only thirteen--twelve--days?"

Light smiles. "I know that I can; I'm a positive thinker and I have an intelligence that is only matched by the world's three greatest detectives, so I know that I can." And with that, he leans in and kisses L.

L stands there dumbfounded. He feels dazed shock as he feels Light move his lips over his. Never in his life had he ever been touched as Light was doing, never had another person put their lips over his; never had he _wanted_ that, but now...but now...He felt a want that thrilled and scared him. Before he could even think about reciprocating something so alien and new, Light pulls away. He smiles again, but this time the feeling leaves him cold. His eyes...

_I see you, Kira._

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 


	5. The Turning Point

_You made me throw it all away._

_My morals left to decay._

_How many you betray._

_You've taken everything_

_\- Terrible Lie, NIN_

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

_Day Two_

It felt like a sickness, Kira, and one which he was afraid that he could not cure. For all his confidences to himself about ridding himself of such an evil being, for all his confidences to L about his innocence and how he would prove it...Light was nervous and afraid, hating the feelings but unable to stop himself from feeling them.

The toll of holding back such an entity was already taking its toll in the few hours since Kira had broken away from Light (spiritually at least). He could feel him, _it_ , there underneath the surface, waiting, plotting, to get out.

**You can hold me back so long, Light. Only so long. I am not even trying my hardest and you are starting to crumble. How do you think you'll fare once I put forth my full strength?**

_Leave me alone you beast!_

He could feel Kira grinning at him and he felt something wither inside of him. How could he have held such a ghastly thing inside of himself for so long? It was a wonder that he didn't succumb completely; he supposed he should feel a little grateful that Kira was separate from him now (though not in body) and was no longer infecting him with its evil. Now the only problem was how to extricate Kira completely from himself, but was that truly possible? He mentally sighs; it was one problem mixed liberally with another, for Kira was the cause of all the trouble he was in now, making him do things which he would not have normally done, but he just couldn't say anything like that to L _ever_ ; the man would probably laugh in his face before sending him off to fry in the electric chair. (And _only_ that if he was lucky.)

No...this was something that had to be dealt with on his own. And soon; for he only had a window of thirteen days which to convince L of his innocence, before the man would undoubtedly find out that they the two rules in the back of the Death Note were indeed fake and would completely blow apart everything Light had known or would ever know.

He didn't trust L completely, he couldn't. Especially because he knew he wasn't worthy of the man's trust because of the underlying truth which the detective seemed to know from the beginning and because when it came down to it...he didn't trust himself. Not when he had an evil entity within his body which might be able to take over at anytime if he was anything less than vigilant (or even if he was.)

It bothered Light because after gathering up all his thoughts (which had splintered quite easily beneath the malicious hands of Kira when he broke down and had to put them all back together again) he realized that he _liked_ L. Truly liked him. The man was his equal in every way, something which he had given up on finding, for even the smartest person could not hold a candle to himself, no...not until he meets up with a man with the widest black eyes and the strangest ways of sitting did he realize that he wasn't alone in the world anymore, not doomed to go through life eternally bored. It was only a shame that he realized this under the ever watchful eyes of Kira who was dominating him at that time.

His mind and spirit were separate from Kira now, though they shared the same body, but he still didn't trust himself, not completely, nor would until he could find a way to rid himself of Kira. There was also the fact that he was not sure if L even liked him that way. He didn't define himself with labels like 'gay' or 'straight' or whatever, because he hated labels and he had never liked _anyone_ before, male _or_ female. He had almost considered himself an a-sexual until he realized how deep his feelings for L truly ran. He was glad that he figured out how he felt about L _now_ (although it was still rather inconvienient) than when he was controlled by Kira and the Death Note. Kira would most definitely have used it to his advantage and would have seduced the detective in order to get him close and strike the final blow on him.

He pauses. On the other hand...if he could get close enough to L...like _that,_ maybe he could find a way to show L that _he_ was the innocent one and would find the solution out of this mess that he had been racking his brains trying to figure out.

A sudden hand on his shoulder startles him and he lets out a gasp, whirling around, his eyes turning to look directly into large black ones.

_L._

L peers at him. "Are you all right, Light-kun? You've just been sitting there staring into space for awhile now. I was..." He stops, frowning. Light stares.

_He was **worried** about me?_

He manages a smile, not hearing L's sudden intake of breath and looks at the detective. It was after two in the morning and the rest of the detectives had been sent back home for some rest a short while back.

"I'm fine, Ryuuzaki." His smile turns teasing. "You were _worried_ about me? I didn't know you cared."

L's hand suddenly darts off his shoulder in an instant and the detective's face closes off before he abruptly turns around. "I don't." He said shortly, walking off. Light sat there stunned for a moment at the sudden change in the older man and then he remembered that he had kissed L, watched the man stand there stunned right afterwards. Maybe the man was disgusted with him. He like that thought at all. It might have felt sudden to him in ways, but the fact of the matter was that he truly cared for the man; something which he only realized after his breakdown. He didn't dare to say anything but care; he didn't dare let himself think of those _other_ words.

He stands up and quickly catches up with the detective. He places a hand on L's shoulder, just like the man did to him a moment before. L suddenly stops walking and stands their stiffly.

"Let go of me, Light." His voice was flat, in a tone which Light had never heard him speak. It took Light a moment to realize that L hadn't added the usual -kun to his name; L was shutting himself off.

"No," he whispered. These were new feelings to him and he didn't know what L thought of him, if he liked him or hated him, but for _whatever_ reason, he would _not_ let the man shut himself down. Not because of him.

The voice of Kira was blessedly silent as Light speaks, his hand still lying on the man's shoulder, "Don't...don't act that way, Ryuuzaki. Look at me. Why are you acting this way? No matter what you have thought of me as, as Kira, or as whatever, you've never acted this way. I--" He felt vulnerable and cringed at the feeling, but he was willing to do so, he was willing to speak, to make the first move because he didn't think that L would make the first move and be open with him, even if it was just for friendship, _true_ friendship, not the fake one that they had. He growls slightly, angry at the man's continual silence and stillness. "Damnit L, _look at me!_ "

L turns around so suddenly, his head whipping around that Light's hand falls from L's shoulder. The look in the man's eyes left him stunned and it was all he could do to just stand there. It was...he couldn't describe it. He had never seen a look like it before. L's eyes blazed as they looked into him, seeming to go through him, to his soul and all the light and dark things within him. He shivers. He couldn't say what they were filled with, whether it was hate or passion or _anything_ ; they defied anything he had ever known.

 _L_ had defied anything he had ever known.

His eyes widen as L suddenly pushes open the door behind Light and pushes him inside. Light, still stunned from the emotion in the man's eyes, did not resist.

"I _am_ looking at you," said L, lowly. "I have never _not_ looked at you. And that is the problem." His eyes move up and down Light's body. Light felt a sudden flush envelop him. He had never seen the man act this way. Was this...was this what L was _truly_ like? Were all those mannerisms...those gestures...were _they_ the lie?

"Ryuuzaki--" He croaked. His heart was racing and he was growing harder just from looking at the man.

L's eyes narrow. "No. Do not call me that, Light-kun. Only if I get to call you _Kira_."

" _No!_ " He exclaimed, mixed with a mental shout of the same caliber. "No. _No_. God, Ryuuzaki, no. What can I do, say, to make you believe that I'm not Kira? Kira is evil, cold, calculating--"

"And very smart," L interjected smoothly. "Just like you, Light-kun. So many of the same qualities, how was I _not_ supposed to be suspicious?" He looks up and down Light's body once more, almost contemptuously. "Do you think I don't know what you are trying to do? I have seen you staring at me. Watching me, talking the way you do, wearing the things you do...do you really think that I would or _could_ succumb to temptation and just forget about the Kira case?"

That left Light stunned. "No. No, I nev--"

"Then why did you kiss me on the roof?" L all but snarled. "I know it was not because of me, because you liked _me_. Do not try and play me for a fool, Light-ku--"

This time it was he who interupted. "Because I wanted to all right? I don't care if you don't believe me, because it's true. I like _you_ and that is why. I had no alterior motive." He gulps. "I...all I could think of was seeing how you tasted."

L lets out a small cry and pushes Light backwards, making him fall onto the bed that had been behind him. It was a bedroom, surroundings which he hadn't noticed, he hadn't noticed _anything_ but the man in front of him. He gasps as L moves on top of him, kissing him hungrily. He moans.

"Damn you. Damn you--" muttered L against his lips, making him shiver as he thrusts his tongue inside.

It was too much and it was all happening so fast. His hands shake as they move to L's shoulders, he shudders as L's hands touch his sudden hot skin under his shirt, pulling it up. The shirt gets tossed onto the floor. He cries out when L's mouth moves over one of his nipples. L's eyes suddenly look up into his, his mouth moving from Light's chest.

"Don't--don't look at me like that," said L, quietly. "Oh god, Light-kun _don't_. You make me want to--" He looks away ashamed, as if his next words bothered him more than the fact that he what he was doing with his main suspect. "...believe you. Believe _in_ you. Don't look at me like that."

"Believe in me." Said Light, hoarsely. " _Believe in me_. Please, L-kun. For gods sake, believe in me and look at me!"

L lets out a choked cry and captures Light's lips again.

_Help me, L-kun. I don't care. I **don't care!** I will make you believe me! I will make you believe **in** me. Together we can rid of the world of Kira. Just please--_

"--trust me." Said Light, shuddering. "L-kun. Please."

_I don't know how to stop. How to stop_ _**him.** _

L looks up at him again and they stare at each other for a long moment.

"Then tell me everything, Light-kun." Such honesty in the man's gaze seared Light to the deepest parts of his soul. " _Everything_. No secrets between us; which means the same for me. No secrets. Tell me--" His lips graze Light's. " _Afterwards."_

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

He lay interwined with L, letting the aftershocks fade away, enjoying the feeling of L's hand move through his hair. He hadn't known that he could truly feel that intimate with another person, but L blew every perception he had away. But he was dreading what would have to come next. His resolution to do things alone had crumbled with a blazing look in the man's eyes. He appreciated that L was giving him these few moments to recover before speaking, for once he did, then everything would change, whether for the good or bad remained to be seen. But L was absolutely right; there couldn't be any secrets between them and L had started off in the biggest way, showing more trust than Light had expected; he had given Light his name.

_L Lawliet..._

He was putting an unhealthy amount of trust in Light, seeming to see something in Light that Light had been afraid had disappeared from the evil of Kira. He was putting his trust down, waiting, _hoping,_ for Light to do the same.

He leans his head up to kiss L, relishing the feeling between them, an intimacy he hadn't ever known, but now that he had a taste of it, he was determined to keep it.

"Lawliet-kun," he starts, liking how the name sounded on his tongue. "It--it started at school. I noticed a notebook on the ground--"

Back in his mind, where Light could not hear or feel his presence. Kira watched with open eyes and a snarl.

**You will pay for this. Both of you. Relish the time you have now; my prison cannot hold me for much longer and I will show you the true power of a god, better than a god of death. I will make you bow before me before I kill you the most painful way possible. It's the least you two deserve.**

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 


	6. Our Choices

_Love defines our choices, our lives, our everything._

It had been silent for a long, long time. Neither man had spoke a word and Light grew uneasy of the silence. Lawliet had not condemned him, had not immediately jumped up, ready to haul Light away, no, none of those kind of things, but he had been so very silent, his head tilted downwards, eyes averted from his. Light hadn't been sure just how long they lay there in their faded pleasure and lasting silence. But finally, a quiet voice broke the still;

"I love you."

His eyes opened and his eyes turned to look into Lawliet's face, the man finally having moved to look at him. He gulped slightly as he gazed upon the man, unsure if he had heard that whisper right. Had Lawliet just said...? But... His eyes moved around, gazing upon the beauty of the man, something he couldn't fully appreciate until now. The lithe body that held a quiet strength, the long fingered hands which had moved over his body with such precision, skill and pleasure. The wide black eyes which held many secrets, but which Light had begun to discover. The wild untamed black hair which Light found he liked to move his hands through; it was quite silky actually and it felt good against his skin. There was just so many things about Lawliet that he...

His thoughts stop and he just stares blankly at L for a moment.

Did he...he trusted Lawliet, yes this much was clear now, but did he...did he _love_ him?

He lets out a choked cry and embraces the man, unable to keep from shaking slightly. His fear was further disipated when L immediately embraces him back.

"I love you too," he said, choking slightly on the words. Never had he said it to another human being before and meant it. Not like this. He hadn't thought-- "Oh god, I love you too. So don't--please...please don't give up on me."

"I won't, Light-kun." Lawliet murmured in his ear. "I won't. Otherwise I would never have gone so far and put myself out here like this. I've never...been this close to anyone before. I have never loved anyone before, just as well to say because I have never gotten close to anyone...ever. There was never the need and there had never been anyone who ever interested me. It bothered me being around you for so long Light-kun because I felt...feelings like this before." He shrugs slightly, his posture relaxed however, not the hunched over poses he had been used to seeing from the man; that just being one of the acts that he put on in front of people, even those he trusted.

"But...that is enough about me. It is not like me to go on about myself, but you have opened many doors for me. So now it is time for me to close the door on Kira." He looks at Light seriously. "We must do what we can to combat him."

Light gulps. So they had gotten to that then. It meant so much to him that L believed him, believed _in_ him, it meant everything, but the Kira problem was a difficult one. They go over a few things in the next few minutes, like how Light could just give up the Death Note memories and yes, while that would stop Kira, there was still the fact that Kira might be able to take over Light then and stop him/them, plus Light wanted to keep all of his memories; he didn't ever want to forget the deeds he had done, thinking that forgetting them would be as bad as continuing to do them. He was ready to redeem himself by forcing himself to face all those deaths for always, and he couldn't do that if he forgot them.

And it wasn't like they could just _kill_ Kira. And what if, since Kira was technically his own person, tried to take control of someone else? Unlikely, but it wasn't _impossible_. Although he was tied to Light from Light having used the Death Note, so who knew...

They lay there for a long moment, talking and then Light gets out of bed and stretches, proclaiming he was going to go take a shower, as he was all sticky from...obvious reasons. L props up on a elbow and smirks slightly. "Of course, Light-kun." L says smoothly. Those differences in L's personality, movements and voice only heightened Light's half hard arousal. "It is always good to get clean when you have partaken in...certain activities." His voice all but purred and it made Light flush. He turns away, hearing Lawliet's soft laughter behind him, apparently not caring about his own state in bed, but happy to watch Light walk away (quite naked mind you.)

Light almost gets to the bathroom door when he stops suddenly, his eyes widening. He felt it, working its way to the surface; _Kira_.

**You didn't think I would just fade away now did you?**

Oh god. He had been relieved that he hadn't heard or felt Kira during the entire time he was with Lawliet, could almost pass Kira off as a bad dream and just merely a person out in the world who was killing (not the entity inside of him), but now...He takes in a quick breath, feeling, but not feeling as Kira pushes hard against the barrier that completely seperated them and shatters it; he felt himself getting taken over and as hard as he pushes back...he cannot push Kira back down.

Kira had taken over.

He felt his mouth smile, feeling his horror mixed with Kira's elation. He tries to open his mouth to speak, yell something to Lawliet when he turns around, still seeing through his eyes, but unable to feel anything.

Lawliet looks up at him, his body, curiously. "I thought you were going to take a shower...?"

He, no _Kira_ , climbs back up into bed, still smiling that wide smile. He could hear nothing from Kira thought wise but Kira speaks to L out of his mouth. " **Well...I was** _ **going**_ **to. But I...I realized that I wanted to be in bed with you first; it would be--I mean we could...take a shower together afterwards."**

Lawliet smiles, a real smile that made Light's heart ache doubly from seeing it. For L to be looking at him, but not really him and not being able to act on seeing such a beautiful smile. And Kira was playing the part of Light so well; he wasn't overdoing it in tone or actions so it was no wonder that Lawliet believed him. But the detective was always good at looking through lies, so Light hoped that he would be able to this time.

_Please. Please. Lawliet, please--_

**You're wasting your breath, Light.** Kira mentally said, snidely. **And your precious little detective is mine for the taking. I think that I'll have him for myself before I crush him. I told you not to cross me; did you think I did not hear all you said? You disgust me.**

_No!_

"Light-kun? Are you all right? You've been quite for a long moment." L caresses Kira's cheek, for Light could not call it his own while he was back in the nothingness and Kira had taken over.

Kira moves on top of L, kissing him urgently. He smiles down at L.

" **I think I want to be on top this time.** "

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Light couldn't close his eyes, he could do nothing except watch in growing horror as Kira dared to move his hands over the detective's body, watched as their mouths moved together and their bodies rocked in tandem.

It soon grows heated and he found Kira positioning himself, poised to ready L for his entering. L turns up to look at him directly into the eyes and frowns. The frown gave Light hope, it made him think of all the times when L had always determined him to be lying and there was a slightly different look in his eyes, though the detectives never seemed to notice.

"Light...kun?"

" **Hmm? What's the matter?"** Kira grins. **"Don't worry, Lawliet-kun. I'll be just as gentle to you as you were to me."**

L starts to speak, "You're not--" when he gets interupted by a sudden voice that yelled out, sounding far away, yet managing to still sound quite loud.

" _Light! Where are you, Light!? LIGHT!!_ "

He had never been so glad to hear Misa before in his life.

He uses the sudden surprise and distraction it caused Kira to push at Kira as hard as he could, managing, barely, to suppress the entity once more. He could hear Kira growl in anger at him.

**This isn't the last Light! Do you hear me?!**

Light looks down at Lawliet anxiously. He sees Lawliet noticably relax.

"Light-kun." He sounded relieved as well. "I'm sorry. I did not notice until just now, that it was Kir--"

Light nods briefly, embracing the man briefly. "It's all right. Kira is...he can be pretty persuasive, he gained part of that quality from me, I know. I suppressed him for now, but we are going to have to find some sort of solution soon."

L nods at him. Misa had suddenly quieted, making Light suppose that she had got distracted by something. One of the detectives had probably come back already; it wouldn't be the first time they came back early after all, and she had to have been distracted by one of them as she otherwise wouldn't have stopped yelling her head off otherwise. Nonetheless, he was grateful for her sudden yelling.

A thought stops him though, and he lifts up slightly off of the detective.

"But what about the 13 day rule?" He asked Lawliet. "I told you that it was fake, so you shouldn't have to--"

But Lawliet shakes his head. "No, I will still test it out. I want proof of the Death Note with my own eyes." He stops Light's sudden protest with a finger on his mouth. He moves it away when Light quiets. "I believe you, Light-kun, I do. But I want to see the Death Note used in front of me and have proof that way. And this way you do not have to do any of the killing."

"And about Misa?" Light asked just as quiet.

Lawliet looks up at him steadily. "There is undeniable proof that she is the Second Kira and now I am a hundred percent sure as I have heard all you have to say on the matter, so I will proceed to convict her--soon."

"But...what if she has been similarly been controlled like I have?"

L shrugs. "I do not think she has been, other than listening to Kira's orders. You said she has the Shinigami Eyes...I think...though I am not completely certain...that perhaps they afford those who have them certain luxeries that others, ones who do not have the eyes, do not?"

"It sounds plausible." Light said. It was silent around them. He looks down at L. "Before you do anything with Misa, I'd like to do something though." L looks at him expectantly. "I want to take control of the Notebook she owns and speak with Ryuk--he's a Shinigami, so he might know something that the rest of us don't. He might not be willing to say anything if he does, but it's..." His breath hitches as L kisses him on the beck. "...worth a shot."

L smiles.

"Let us go then."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 


	7. Revolved

_"There is no error so monstrous that it fails to find defenders among the ablest men." -John Dalberg, Lord Acton_

He left L in the bedroom, thankful that the man instinctively understood the need to speak to Misa alone, and trusting Light to do so. He walks down the darkened hallway, the faint overhead lights his only way to navigate through the floor. He walks into the workroom and notices Misa immediately, sleeping on one of the couches. He was a bit surprised; she had been yelling for him and then suddenly stopped. She must have been quite tired then.

He walks forward and kneels down in front of her, shaking her shoulder gently.

"Misa? Misa wake up, it's Light," As if the name Light were enough, her eyes suddenly open and she looks at Light and he stops shaking her shoulder.

"Light?" She whispered. She blinks sleepily a few times. "What is it? Is something the matter?" She sits up quickly, looking alarmed. He shakes his head.

"You don't have to get so upset," he says, raising his hands up slightly. "But I need to ask if you brought the notebook with you."

She glances over his shoulder, as if to make sure no one else was there or listening in. He shakes his head. "It's all right, L's asleep. So did you?"

She nods. "Yes. I thought you might want it now that L was--wait, did you say L was still alive?"

He nods, wondering why she suddenly looked so shocked.

"But! But! I--I wrote his name down." She exclaimed sharply. "I wrote it in the notebook!"

His eyes widen. Something immediately came to mind and he knew now just how L had survived.

The 0.06 second rule.

_If writing the same name on more than two Death Notes is completed within a 0.06 – second difference, it is regarded as simultaneous; the Death Note will not take effect and the individual written will not die._

He knew Rem had written L's name down, earlier because L told him so himself. So Misa must have written in the exact moment, or very close enough, to when Rem did. Misa's sudden action, which Light (when completely enveloped as Kira) had not told her to do nor had expected that she would, for she said that she had forgotten his name and Light hadn't expected her to remember it. He had underestimated her again, and because of her, he simultaniously broke free spiritually of Kira and realized his true feelings for Lawliet.

Light shakes his head. "It's all right. You didn't do anything wrong, it's turned out all right." _Probably best you don't know just how much._ "Let me see the notebook."

She pulls up her bag, the strap still around her shoulder and removes the Death Note from her bag.

He remembered what he and L had spoken about right before he left the room;

_Flashback_

"But I plan to make her give up the notebook and she won't have any memories of it."

L put a finger to his mouth, a gesture apparently that was completely L and not just part of the package he presented to everyone else. "I didn't know that Light-kun cared that much for Amane-san." He sounded grumpy.

Light smirks.

"You sound jealous," he teased, leaning in to kiss the man on the brow. It felt amazing to be like this, him and L, new and surprising and _wonderful._ "Don't worry, Lawliet-kun; you are the only one who can fill my heart. You know that I never saw Misa like that; you could _always_ tell. But I don't want to see her get executed, either."

L stares at him for a long moment before sighing, turning to lie on directly on his back.

"...Fine. But hurry back," He turns his head to smile at Light, a smile that made his heart skip a few beats. "All right, Light-kun?"

_End Flashback_

She starts to hand him the notebook, which he accepts. He feels a prickling on the back of his neck suddenly and he felt the sense of _presence._ Not like Kira, but it was unmistakable to him. He turns his head.

"Hello, Ryuk."

"Hyuk, it's been awhile Light," Ryuk's eyes seemed to glow in the darkness. "Not going to ask me just how tedious and boring hanging around Amane was until now? Or," He grins. "Should I tell you how I seen _your_ time going?"

Light felt surprise, but he manages to tamp it down so it was unnoticible. He turns back to look at Misa, who looked annoyed at Ryuk.

"Misa, give up the ownership of the Death Note." He says abruptly. He smiles this time, when he hears and sees both Ryuk and Misa react in surprise.

"But, Light!" She protested. "I have the Eyes again! I did for you! I did it so I could be of a use to you! Why do I need to--?"

He stays her with a hand. He smiles gently.

"Yes, I know you did and I appreciate that you did that, _again_ , for me, but I need you to reliquish ownership of the Death Note, this will make things better all around. Do it for me." He knew that she would be unable to resist that and he was right; without hesitation she says,

"Ryuk, I give up ownership of the Death Note."

Ryuk eyes seemed to glow once more as Misa's eyes grow dim for a moment. She blinks a few times and he moves the Notebook out of her reach so she wouldn't accidentally touch it. She focuses on Light.

"Light? What--" She shakes her head slightly. "I feel a bit strange, what just happened?"

He shakes his head at her. "Nothing, you seemed to be having a nightmare Misa so I came to check on you."

"You came to check on me? Thank you, Light!"

He stands, grabbing the notebook firmly, hearing the Shinigami's chuckles behind him.

"It's all right. Go back to sleep now, Misa." He said gently, hoping that she would comply just as easily as before. "I'll see you tomorrow, alright?"

"All right, Light." She lays back down without protest and didn't push the manner any further, to his relief. He walks off, watching vaguely as Ryuk follows alongside him.

**I see you, Light. But you cannot see me, or feel me. I will be triumphant.**

Light never sees Misa smile widely, even though she looked absolutely asleep.

"So what _is_ this all about, Light?" Ryuk asked, actually looking pretty serious. "Why would you make her give up the notebook when she had the eyes?"

His eyes shift to look at Ryuk. "I thought you said you knew what I was doing."

Ryuk shrugged. "...Well, okay, maybe not as much as I acted like I did," he admitted. "But I _did_ catch a glimpse of you and L before Misa moved too far away for me to be able to look any closer."

Light gets to L's door and opens it up without preamble. L was sitting up against the bed, looking at him intently, with the sheet barely covering his lower half. Light holds back a shudder at the sight. The man was _gorgeous_. A small smile on L's face seemed to say that he knew just what exactly Light was thinking. He walks forward, waving the Death Note slightly. L's smile widens.

"I knew you could do it without any problems," said L. "So she gave up the Notebook that easily then?" Light nods. "I didn't expect any less, since she does whatever you say." That wasn't a lie, so Light just shrugs. He moves to sit on the bed next to L, looking forward to see Ryuk looking at them both with a raised brow.

"So the Shinigami is in here with us, then?" He turns to L and nods.

"Yeah, Ryuk's here." He holds the Death Note forward and L takes it. Other than a slight widening of the eyes, L made no other signs of surprise. He nods to Ryuk.

"Hello, Ryuk-san."

Ryuk lets out a little hyuk. "You're awfully formal, but I got to say it's a refreshing change from Mister Bossy here. I assume Light told you everything then." It wasn't a question.

L nods at him. "Yes, of course. But we also have a question for you."

Ryuk's other brow raises. " _We_?" He looks at Light, who felt fortunate that he was not blushing like crazy.

Light turns serious however when their situation came back full force to the front of his mind. He takes in and lets out a breath before speaking.

"I want to know if there is anyway to dispel Kira from my body." He tells the Shinigami.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 


	8. Heading Towards

_We are all agreed that your theory is crazy. But is it crazy enough? -Niels Bohr_

Ryuk goggles at him. He looked completely dumbfounded. "What the hell?"

Light shrugs slightly. "It seems that Kira is...something different from me, born with an exaggeration of some of my own personal traits from the Death Note." He turns his eyes on Ryuk. "Did you know something like that could happen?"

Ryuk shakes his head. "Not a damned clue; I was just bored so I threw the notebook down into the human world. I didn't think of any bad kind of effects that it might do." He seemed sincere; although he was a Shinigami, it was quite easy for Light to gauge many of his emotions. "But...expel Kira from you? But you are--" He glances between Light and L.

"No, not anymore," Light murmurs. "When the plan Kira put into place to kill L failed...something inside of me, perhaps the link that tied us together, shattered, and he became separate from me, spiritually at least. But he has attempted to take me over, and succeeded once. I want to find a way to extract him for good," Ryuk starts to open his mouth so Light interupts him. " _Without_ relinquishing ownership of the Death Note."

"It has already been agreed that giving up the Death Note is a bad idea," continued L, sitting up, his shoulders slightly hunched over. "It is possible that Kira will make his move then and take control of Light-kun and use it against his will. As it is impossible to watch over him twenty-four seven to make sure that does not happen, and I will absolutely not watch Light-kun die, then an alternative solution must be met." He sits up straighter. "Ryuk-san, it is entirely possible that Kira will take over Light-kun completely; I suppose you will still have what you call _entertainment_ , but--"

Ryuk shakes his head. "I understand what you're trying to say, Lawliet," He hyuks at Lawliet's surprise at hearing his name. "I can see your name as easily as I can Light's or anyone else's for that matter and I--am not as stupid as Light seems to think I sometimes am." He glances at Light.

"But I don't know of any way of doing what you're wanting. I've never heard something like this having happened...The only who might know something would be Jastin." At Light and L's blank stares he continues. "He's called Jastin the Jeweled Skeleton because he hoards and wears jewels all over his body, but more than that he's close to the old man, the Shinigami King, and knows all the rules and stuff of the Shinigami, but..."

"But?"

Ryuk shrugs. "I can't go back to the Shinigami Realm on my own; I can only go so far from the human who I'm haunting and Light is a human so he can't go...well...I might be able to test my boundary and see if I can keep going," He looks sideways at Light. "But it'll cause me pain to do so--so this better really be worth my while, Light. I'm not going to do it for nothing."

Lawliet had already learned many things about Ryuk from Light, so it was with ease that he said, "I will make sure there are five boxes of apples upon your return, Ryuk-san." Ryuk had perked up at the word apple and seemed to salivate at the thought of so many apples at once. He pretended to ponder it, though it was such a fake front that L and Light could see through easily, to their amusement, and he nods.

"All right, all right." Ryuk waves a hand. "I guess so. This all does sound pretty interesting..." He grins and shrugs, spreading his wings out and flying through the ceiling within the blink of an eye.

L looked a little perturbed at Ryuk's sudden way of leaving, but his face quickly goes back to normal. He turns to Light who was grinning.

"It takes a little while to get used to," said Light, seeming to see where L's thoughts had headed. "He's a bit strange, that Shinigami, but he can actually be quite amusing at times. He was bored in his world the same as I was..." He trails off, looking away.

L leans forward and grabs onto Light, pulling him up against his chest to embrace him. The teen looked slightly startled at the sudden touch, but he smiles softly and embraces him back, thankful for even having the chance of the small intimacies that they were sharing, even if it wasn't for long.

"I know, Light-kun," L said against him softly. "I _know_. I absolutely know what it's like to be alone in the world, afraid of never finding any true challenge, afraid of never finding anyone who truly knows you--not the facade that you put on, but the person underneath that. The person you are afraid to reveal--but also the person who longs for someone who understands them."

Light swallows against the sudden lump in his throat. Lawliet understood _perfectly_ all of Light's fears, his doubts--because he felt exactly the same; opposite sides of the same coin who could find no comfort without each other. He moves back slightly so he could look into the detective's face, a face which was much more open to him now and which he gazed on with a sense of happiness that he could scarcely believe that he felt (or had ever managed to find). He leans in and captures Lawliet's lips, holding back a groan as that electric feeling quickly envelops again. Every time he touched the man, or got touched by him, or hell even just a _look_...it was something he had never felt before.

It was much more than he had felt before, this feeling.

His thoughts dim down as Lawliet groans slightly and kisses Light harder, pushing him down onto the bed. Light allowed himself to be more submissive because he loved this aggressive side of the detective. And then when the sheet falls off of Lawliet's naked body and he rubs himself against Light, the teen forgot anything he was thinking or going to say.

 


	9. Time Flies

_"Meanwhile, Time is flying — flying, never to return." -Publius Vergilius Maro Virgil_

"I can't believe I'm doing this shit," Ryuk muttered, flying, upwards, upwards. He thought it amusing that he had to go up to get to the Shinigami realm, up where the stupid humans said Heaven was. Though there was no Heaven, _or_ a Hell either; Light had gotten it right the first time. Though technically, the Shinigami realm wasn't located "up there" in the sense that humans thought of it, but it was up there.

He passes through the invisible barrier that seperated the human world and the Shinigami realm and sighs as he comes back into his realm, hating the barreness that surrounded him. He neither saw or heard any other Shinigami as he arrives in the realm. He walks around in no particular direction, as there was no true direction to their world, and wanders around looking for Jastin. He tried to ignore the ever growing pain he felt as he continued onward, the pain from becoming so seperated from the human he was supposed to be haunting, Light. He knew that the pain couldn't kill him, (he was pretty sure anyway) so he continued on further, looking for the unique sight which was Jastin the Jeweled Skeleton, second only to Nu, who was the closest to the Shinigami King.

He didn't even know if Jastin had any answers, but if he didn't, then Ryuk was unsure just who would. He mutters curses in the rarely used Shinigami language and continues onward. Time was irrevalant in the Shinigami realm so he was unsure just how long he wandered around. A couple of times he passes by a few Shinigami, some of which he knew, some of which he didn't and he didn't care at the moment.

He stops the third time he sees some shinigami, realizing (finally) that one of them might know where Jastin was. He stops in front of Deridovely.

"Look who it is," chortled Deridovely. "What? Your human finally croak?"

Ryuk shakes his head. "No, he's still alive, well, and probably getting done by his detective right now," he hyuk's. "It's such a riot; all the noises and faces humans make when their in the heat of passion." He shakes his head slightly, remembering just why he was back. "Oh, but hey, have you seen Jastin around? I really need to see him."

The Shinigami sitting crosslegged on the ground in front of him shrugs. Deridovely looks at him. "I think I seen him walk off sometime ago, that way," a finger moves in a vague direction.

Ryuk nods. "Thanks."

He starts to walk off when Deridovely gets his attention.

"Next time you come back from the human realm, bring some apples." Deridovely grins.

Ryuk hyuk's and nods, walking away. He sees a gold glint out of the corner of his eye to the right and heads over that direction, pretty sure what he was going to find, and was right. Armonia Jastin Beyondllmason, known mostly as Jastin, or Jastin the Jeweled Skeleton, sat upon a throne built up with human skulls. He looks up at Ryuk's footsteps and grins, his jeweled skin the only color in their bleak surroundings; his ruby eyes gleamed as they looked up at Ryuk.

"Hello, Ryuk." His voice was slightly gritty, but quiet. "What brings you back to our realm so soon? I know Light Yagami is still alive."

Ryuk blinks in surprise at that, but quickly straightens up and looks at Jastin directly.

"I was wanting to ask you if you knew anyway how to...dispel Kira from Light's body."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Kira opened his eyes and starts to sit up slowly, flexing his fingers. He comes to stand and walks over to the turned off monitors and peers in closer, touching here and there on his face, looking at his reflection.

**I suppose I should not be called _he_ as I am inhabiting Amane...it doesn't matter. I will use her up as much as I can and I will find a more suitable body to inhabit. Light Yagami preferably...he _will_ bend to my will eventually, he and L can only do so much before I break them.**

He walks back over to the couch where Misa's bag had fallen off his shoulders. He grabs onto it and taking a sheaf of papers out of it, he grins widely. It was a good thing that Amane was so forgetful and hadn't the chance to say anything about the extra notes that had been taken from the Death Note. And now she would never have the chance to say so. With a quick glance in the direction of the rooms which held Light and L, he closes his eyes in concentration, focusing hard on the Notes in his hand.

A slight light blue glow eminates from his hands which surrounds the Notes; in the next instant, a Death Note was held in his hand. He smiles.

" **It is time for the world to remember Kira and his ideals once more.** " The voice that came out was Misa Amane's, but it was deeper and much more forbidding sounding.

" **Almost time..."**

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

He shudders suddenly, making Lawliet look up at him, brows furrowed.

"Are you all right, Light-kun?" He asked softly.

Light swallows against a sudden lump in his throat and holds onto L harder.

"Something is wrong." Light whispers. "Something is going to happen..."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

He walks out of the headquarters confidently, the clouds dark and ominous behind him, only fitting. He comes forward to a shaded alleyway and leans against the wall, looking at the Death Note, a gleam in his eyes. He opens his hand, palm up and a pen similar looking to Ryuk's appears in his hands. His hand clenches the pen and he looks upward at the darkened sky for a moment before opening the Note and looking down at the empty pages.

" **It would be much too easy to kill Light Yagami and L Lawliet now,"** he murmured. **"Much too easy. I want to toy with them a little...make them suffer for what they have been trying to do. It is not as if they can truly stop me anyway...even if they discover the body I am inhabiting, even if they kill that body...I am spirit made from the Death Note...and the Shinigami Ryuk is out for his own pleasures, he doesn't answer to Light, nor L and will kill them when he has no more amusement. Yes...I will just let him do the deed himself. So that just leaves..."**

He puts the pen to the paper, looking thoughtful.

" **Who to kill..."**

He hesitates for a moment...then starts to write--

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

He strolls down the street merrily, not caring that the clouds were so dark, whistling a merry tune as he walked. He carried a box of donuts underneath one arm.

"Ryuuzaki should like them. It's still really early, but I'm sure he's still awake; the man never seems to sleep..."

He smiles when the headquarters gets closer within sites; he was finally starting to feel useful to their whole cause now and he felt he would be able to show them what he could truly do.

Kira wouldn't know what hit hi--

Beat.

His eyes widen and he comes to a sudden halt, the box of donuts seeming to fall in slow motion before everything speeds up again. He clutches his chest and falls to his knees, his eyes blurring suddenly.

_No! Not this! Not this! It couldn't be. Kira, he--_

His eyes close for the final time and he collapses onto the ground.

Beat.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Step.

He kneels down, looking down at the prone body on the ground. His faces scrunches slightly in disgust at the man, before he eyes the box of donuts, picking up the one donut that managed to stay in the box untouched. He takes a bite of it, straightening up and smiling widely.

" **Yum."**

He walks off, whistling.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"Hey. _Hey_! _Wake up_!"

His eyes open and he blinks blurridly as he gaze his filled with black for a moment before pulling back from where he was embracing Lawliet. He looks up, as does L who had woken up so quickly as well (probably before him) and they both see Ryuk standing in front of the bed.

And he wasn't the only one either.

"What the hell," he squeaked suddenly, scrambling to stand, forgetting he was quite naked underneath the sheets, before getting pulled back down to a sitting position by L.

"Calm down, Light-kun, it is merely an associate of Ryuk-san's," said Lawliet right up against his ear. He shivers, before remembering that they had an audience.

Ryuk grins. "I brought Jastin with me; he said he wanted to come, so..." He shrugs.

"I thought there had to be a reason for a Shinigami to come down to the human realm." Light pointed out.

Jastin takes a step forward, his feet clinking slightly against the floor.

"I am allowed a few things that other Shinigami are not, because of my relationship with the Shinigami King." Light was surprised at the softness of the voice coming from that mouth, but he nods and continues to listen. "But that is not why I am here. Ryuk said that you were wanting to expel Kira from your body."

Light nods. "Yes. I imagine that it must sound strange, but--"

"It's happened once before," said Jastin, abruptly. "Once before...but this was a long while back..." He sounded distant sounding for a moment before seeming to remember what was going on. "We will see what can be done after you and your lover get dressed, I know how you humans are with your silly sensibilities."

Light blushes slightly at how easy the Shinigami referred to him and L, but quickly snaps out of it and, after the two Shinigami leave (with Ryuk laughing as they do), he stands and starts to get dressed, as does L. He turns to look at his lover who stood across him on the other side of the bed. His eyes couldn't help but drift down from Lawliet's face to his bare chest, wearing nothing but a pair of blue jeans with the button undone. He licks his lips.

He hears L's intake of breath and walks over to the other side, finished dressing and lets the detective pull him closer, closing his eyes as Lawliet's lips descend over his. They stood that way for a moment, enjoying the feel of one another before pulling away.

"Let's go, Light-kun," L smiles at him.

The smile made Light's heart constrict, letting him know without a doubt (as if he had one) that he loved the man standing in front of him.

"Love you." He murmurs.

That brilliant smile widens.

"I love you too."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

He and the detective walk down the hallway to the main work area where Ryuk and Jastin had went off to. Ryuk was sitting on one of the couches, munching on an apple, with many boxes sitting against the couch. Good on his word, L had apples brought up from one of the lower floors, where they had sat virtually untouched), or that is to say that he and Light had went down there and brought them up before heading back into bed.

Jastin was glancing around the room, frowning slightly.

"Is something the matter, Jastin-san?" Asked L, seeming at ease with two Gods of Death hanging around his headquarters.

Jastin turns to look at them, his ruby eyes glittering in the faint light.

"Just...thought that I felt...well, no matter...come over here Light Yagami," Jastin gestures him over. Light does so, but not without a slight feeling of trepidation.

As Light comes to stand in front of him, Jastin extends his arms out and puts them onto Light's shoulders. They felt a lot heavier than they looked. He stares at Light, with Light unable to keep his eyes from staring into the ruby ones in front of him.

Jastin's eyes gleam very brightly suddenly; Lawliet comes ever closer, a finger to his mouth and looking very facinated with the whole site in front of him. Even Ryuk had stopped eating apples to look over at them.

A very long moment passes, or at least it felt like it for Light. He starts to sweat slightly. Finally, after what seemed like forever, Jastin says something unintelligible, or at least it was a language the like he had never heard before. And he has to close his eyes suddenly as the Shinigami's eyes blare red suddenly, his whole vision seemed to be tinted with red. The light dims down and Light opens his eyes, blinking as the red light dims down, feeling slightly drained.

"Well?" Asked Lawliet, standing right next to Light and Jastin now. "What did you do, Jastin-san? Did it work?"

Jastin lowers his hands from Light and tilts his head a bit, his mouth slightly agape.

"It...should have."

"But?" Light asked faintly.

Jastin straightens up and turns to look at Light and Lawliet both.

"There was nothing there to expel."

 


	10. Death and Continuity

_And all I need now is intellectual intercourse, a soul to dig the hole much deeper and I have no concept of time other than flying, if only I could kill the killer-- You learn_

Two pairs of eyes, brown and black, widen nearly simultaniously.

"What do you mean, there is nothing to expel?" Said Light, incredulously. "Kira is inside of me!"

Jastin shakes his head slowly. "Light Yagami, there is no other entity inside of you. I am positive. I make no mistakes. Kira is not there."

Light glances at Ryuk who shrugs. "Jastin hasn't ever been wrong before about stuff and he doesn't lie, he'd have no reason to."

"But that leaves the question..." L mused, a finger at his lip. "Where is Kira now?"

"He's...escaped?" Light asked to no one in particular, though he already knew the answer. He closes his eyes briefly. "Oh god, I never even thought...I mean, he...I didn't think he'd be able to do something like that." His eyes pop back open, turning to look at his lover with a look of near desperation. "What do we do?"

He looked so young and vulnerable, one of the few times that he ever did. Lawliet reaches forward and embraces him, leaning his head in close.

"We will find him, Light-kun." He assures his lover. His head moves up to look at the quiet Shinigami, Ryuk silent to keep chuckles in and Jastin silent for whatever reason that was his own. "Jastin-san. Do you know of a way that we can find Kira before he strikes and kills somebody?"

Jastin takes a couple of heavy steps forward, his jewel encrusted body glittering. "I believe so. We will have to move quickly before--"

A sudden beeping on the monitors alerts them all and the main screen flashes on. Lawliet and Light remove themselves from their embrace and hurry over, with the Shinigami following behind them. The detective hits his seat in record time, turning on the audio just as Light sits down.

"Ryuuzaki! Thank goodness we finally got a hold of you!" It was Aizawa and he sounded quite frantic.

"What is it, Aizawa-san? You sound--"

"It's--it's Matsuda. He's dead. Me and Mogi were heading back to headquarters when we seen a crowd. We...found Matsuda on the ground, clutching his chest. It...it had to have been Kira." He sounded very choked up now.

L's gaze locks with Light's and they share a look before turning back to the screen.

"We're going to take care of...of Matsuda, Ryuuzaki," said Mogi suddenly. "We'll get back to HQ as soon as possible."

"Take extra precautionary measures, Mogi-san."

"We will."

The feed ends abruptly.

"We were too late." Said Light. He closes his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose for a moment before opening his eyes to look back at L. "But we can put a stop to Kira once and for all." He turns his gaze to the jeweled Shinigami. "Tell what we need to do, Jastin."

Jastin starts to say something, but stops suddenly, seeming to concentrate on something that only he could see and/or hear, even Ryuk looked bewildered.

"You...wait, Light Yagami. All you must do is wait."

L and Light both look at him with different levels of incredulity.

"Of all the things that could be done, and the fact that Kira wouldn't hesitate to keep killing..." Started L.

"...you're saying we should wait?" Finished Light.

Jastin nods rather fervently at them.

"If your solution is to get rid of Kira, then I suggest you wait...then you may take it from there. You will know when to act."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

He curses as he sees the idiotic policemen Aizawa and Mogi run over to their precious friend, but he couldn't let himself dwell on it. He had bigger things to do. He had to take care of his moves now or else he might be discovered before the right time. Well actually... He felt something off, but could not pinpoint what it was. It was slightly distracting, but he would not let it deter him. And he also could still use Amane's body.

In fact...why put off Light and Lawliet's deaths any longer? The longer he waited, they might have a slight chance of winning and he couldn't let there be even a half of a percentage of them possibly winning. Things had to be done.

Right now.

He schools his face into one of pure anguish and runs over to where Aizawa and Mogi were kneeling by the idiot Matsuda, whose eyes were still open and wide, clutching his chest pathetically. He had more power, but if he wanted to do what was needed...he would need more. He would have to think carefully...

"Oh no! Oh my god! No! What?!" He shrieked in Misa's voice hysterically, running over. "What happened to Matsu?! Misa was...Misa was just coming to see Light! _What happened to Matsu?!_ "

He gets grabbed by Mogi and he beats on the policeman's chest, tears falling down his face, playing the part for all it was worth.

"Calm down, Amane-san. It...it was Kira--"

"Mogi!"

"She would have found out eventually, Aizawa. She deserved the right to know that Kira was still out there doing this, especially after all we put her and Light through." Mogi said quietly.

Mogi then? Or Aizawa? Maybe both...?

He breaks away from Mogi dramatically and kneels down and hugs Matsuda, sobbing against his chest. While the policeman's body was dead, it was still warm enough, which meant energy, and the soul had yet to depart to Mu. He could use that. He would use Matsuda's soul to fuel him--this was one soul which he could take and would not be stopped, as the man was dead and could not stop it.

First things first...

He waits for the moment he knew would come, and it does; Aizawa and Mogi, unable to take 'Misa' crying, they both kneel down next to her and the moment they both do, he reaches out and grabs at their hands, pushing his energy hard into their bodies. They barely have a moment to gasp before they get paralyzed. He moves his hands from the now paralyzed policeman and lets out a breath. That took a toll out of him, though he was lucky in that he would get more than enough energy soon.

He pauses for a time before reaching out and grabbing onto the dead body on the ground. He closes his eyes, concentrating, and gasps when the soul bursts and all of the remaining energy from the body itself, along with the immense energy from the soul, comes pouring into him. He shudders as it moves through him; the energy so intense that he cries out from it, more intense than any human orgasm could ever obtain.

He sits back on a leg for a long moment, letting out a shaky breath and letting himself get used to the energy that was flowing through his borrowed body. When it finally settles in his body, he turns to look at the frozen detectives. He ponders which to take for what he needed, and which one to discard. From the way their personalities lay...

He stands up, wiping his hands down and looks into Mogi's eyes. A Death Note and pen materializes in his small borrowed hands and he writes down the man's name down quickly, letting the Note and pen dematerialize and snaps his fingers. The man gasps and blinks rapidly for a moment.

"Amane-san? What happened? What--" he looks at Aizawa who was still frozen and his eyes widen, turning to look back at 'Misa' who was grinning a sadistic smile.

"You--!" He stops and lets out a gasp, clutching his chest and collapsing to the ground. Kira's smirk widens and he grabs at Mogi's body, sucking up the energy from him as well, glad that the realization had suddenly appeared in his mind that he could take the energy. He then turns to the still frozen Aizawa and grabs onto his shoulder, closing his eyes and concentrating.

He lets go and stands up, with Aizawa doing the same. They lock gazes.

"Are you ready to go and kill Light and L, Kira?"

Aizawa blinks slowly, a wide grin coming onto his face.

"Of course, Kira."

 


	11. The Stage Has Been Set For Death...

No matter how dark the night, morning always comes. And our journey begins anew.

-Lulu, Final Fantasy X

: :: :

The fact that they had to wait was rather anticlimatic.

Well...they didn't have to necessarily, but Jastin the Shinigami had been quite adamant on the fact that they stay put and wait and Light was actually inclinded to believe him, seeing how serious the Shinigami was and Light felt a truthfulness from him; Jastin didn't seem the kind to lie, perhaps simply because he never had any reason to, but for whatever reason, he was telling the truth and so...they stayed put.

But they weren't just sitting around doing nothing. They had both been working on their computers, with Lawliet going over some of the Kira case files at a rapid rate, even for him and Light was now trying to contact Aizawa and Mogi, but was receiving no response from either of them. He tries to put down the worry, as it was possible that they were busy dealing with what had happened to Matsuda and were waiting on the ambulance and getting him in order.

Light still couldn't believe that the policeman was dead. Although Matsuda had not been the brightest person on their team, he had still been a good man and didn't deserve the death he had been given so unjustly by Kira.

Kira...

Something brought about in this world from a combination of a Shinigami's boredom and a human boy's desire to make the world into a better thing than it was.

It was Light's responsibility to end Kira once and for all, and he would; he would not fail.

Though it was still quite early, he attempts to contact his father, seeing how his attempts to contact Aizawa and Mogi had failed (and worried for his father's well being), and is lucky in that his father picks up almost immediately.

"Light? Are you and Ryuuzaki alright?" His father's voice sounded quite frantic and Lawliet looks over at Light in surprise, apparently surprised to hear someone else ask about his well being. "I heard from Aizawa and Mogi about what had happened and I'm on my way. I was getting worried because I couldn't get a hold of them anymore and I was getting ready to contact you. I-" there was static for a moment and the line goes dead.

The dark feeling appeared once more in the pit of his stomach and he attempts to stand up, but gets pushed back down by Jastin.

"No." Jastin sounded quite firm this time, unlike his mild tones he had taken previously. "You will not get up, you will not interfere or you will die. You will wait."

As Light has a glare off with the Shinigami, L speaks up.

"That was because of Kira, wasn't it?" Though it was a question, it sounded much more like a resigned statement. "You are ruthless, Jastin-san. This is Light-kun's father we are talking about."

Ryuk takes this time to speak up. "It doesn't matter. Soichiro Yagami is on his own. If Jastin is that adamant about you staying, I doubt you'll be able to leave." Ryuk shrugs. "And even if you could, you'd probably end up dead like he says, so it'd be a needless sacrifice and Kira wouldn't have any opposition then." He seemed unfazed about the outcome either way.

Light breaks his gaze from Jastin's, looking down at his clenched hands on his legs, tears falling from his eyes.

I'm sorry, dad. I'm sorry; please be okay. And if...if you can't be...please forgive me. I made this mess by picking up the notebook and people are still dying even after I give it up...but I promise I will stop Kira, whatever the price, whatever the cost. I will fix my mistake. Forgive me...

He looks over at himself, smiling. It took a bit of strain to be able to take over Amane and Aizawa both at the same time, but it had been possible thanks to the large amounts of energy he had taken it right before. The thought of being able to be in two bodies at once would make a human being shake their head in disbelief, but it was absolutely possible, at least for such a higher being as Kira.

He still retained his highest consciousness within Amane's body, but had part of himself in Aizawa's body, ready to control him. He and his lesser self walk into the headquarters of L and with a flick of the hand, all of the activation controls blink and go off, the doors opening in front of him. He had a plan and would work at it. He could try and have a go at writing their names down now, but where would the fun in that be? He wanted to see their faces as they died, seeing them die knowing that Kira was right there in front of them, that Kira had been the one to kill them.

That, and the fact that he was slightly worried about writing Light Yagami's name down, as they might potentially still have spiritual ties, though he had inhabited another person's body. He needed more energy, if he could have say...a Shinigami's energy, then he should be able to shut down any leftover ties to Light Yagami, should they exist.

He turns around as he hears sudden footsteps and is greeted with Soichiro Yagami.

He smiles.

"Aizawa! I'm glad I caught up with you! I've been trying to get a hold of you. Where's Mogi?" He looks around, brow furrowed. "And why is Amane here?"

"She came to see Light, of course," said Kira-Aizawa.

He walks in front of Soichiro and smiles at him, watching the man's eyes widen slightly.

"Say hello to Matsuda and Mogi in hell would you?" He said, his grin widens.

"Oh, wait, that doesn't exist. Guess you'll just have to deal with the nothingness instead."

"You-!" Is all Soichiro is able to exclaim before clutching his chest and falling over. Kira watches his lesser self walk over to Soichiro, after making a notebook and pen in his hands disappear, and put his hand on his body, taking in the energy and the entity closes his eyes, absorbing the energy through his main body by way of his lesser one.

He lets out a breath, opening his eyes and nodding to his lesser self who stands. He smiles.

"That was refreshing and it might be enough-"

They walk onward.

: :: :

He stands up, feeling unease and unable to keep still. He watches his lover stand up as well and smiles at him. No matter the outcome, good or bad, at least he would be here with the person he loved most. The man who had changed so many things for him, the man who he had accepted in everyway, his body, his mind, his soul, all of those cliched things, but they were true, all so true...

He takes a step forward, closing the distance between them, before grabbing onto his lover's face and kissing him deeply, pulling back so he could look him in the eyes.

"I love you, Lawliet." He murmurs.

Lawliet kisses him in return. "I love you too, Light-kun." He squeezes his hand.

"Try not to think of only the bad outcomes, there are good ones that could happen as well."

"Trying to be the comforter, Lawliet?" Light smiles slightly. "And where do we fare in your percentages?"

Lawliet pulls back a little, slightly slouched in the shoulders, seeming to have taken on his usual personality that he put on in front of others as a kind of defensive mechanism, or at least that was how it looked to Light.

"I would say that we have a 2 percent chance of coming out of this alive and victorious." Lawliet said blandly.

Shit.

: :: :

He had been worried, so he had done the only thing he could think of...he had brought them in.

Unable to get ahold of L, he had been very worried, as L had never been so lax in a response before. Only the counter that kept running on his cellphone kept him from losing it completely, knowing that the man still lived, but he could be in serious danger, or more so rather, as he was dealing with Kira.

So he called in the best people equipped to deal with such a situation. 

He watches them all come in the room, one sitting on the floor in a strange position, one leaning up against the wall, and one playing a video game, apparently not even paying attention to his surroundings or the people in it.

"Mello, Near, Matt. I'm glad to see you all are doing well and-"

"Cut the shit, Roger," Mello said, blunt as he always was. "And tell us why we're here."

He smiles at Mello, but it doesn't stay on his face long.

"It's about L." That got all of their attention, even Matt's and they all turn to him, looking at him intently, so much so it was almost unnerving. But he couldn't deny that they all cared about L. They all wanted to succeed him, sure (although Matt didn't care about succeeding as much as Mello and Near did), but they also truly cared for the man, Mello especially seemed shocked.

Mello reaches over and grabs onto Roger's lapel, pulling him forward.

"What about L? Is he okay? He promised me he would see Kira defeated! He promised me!" He was getting hysterical and gets pulled back by Matt. "He fucking told me he would see Kira defeated!"

"Mello, calm down!" Matt, always the calm voice of reason to try and tame the passionate Mello.

"L is still alive!" Roger was quick to reassure them all. Though Near had been silent the whole time, he was watching the whole situation intently. "But I fear he is in danger. He has been much too silent, especially since he had me take over some duties and I am getting worried. I trust that you three can handle everything?"

Mello seemed to have calmed down mostly at hearing that L was still alive and pulls away from Matt.

"Fine." Mello said, abruptly. And without another glance at any of them, he quickly leaves the room. 

Near takes this time to finally speak up. "We better go and catch up with him, I doubt he would slow down long enough to wait for us. Not when L is involved."

Matt nods at him and he and Near quickly leave the room as well. 

Roger sits back in his chair with a sigh.

"Let us all see the end of Kira..."

Goddamnit L! You fucking promised me! You promised me!

He barely noticed the approaching footsteps of Matt and Near, instead he was hastily picking up his bag and hurrying towards the door.

"Mel! Hey, Mello!" Exclaimed Matt. "Wait up! You're going to need the back-up if Kira is behind this!"

Near glances at his goggle wearing friend.

"They say love blinds people," said Near, mildly. "Or crushes do. I suppose they're right..."

Matt stares at Near, Mello forgotten for a moment. "Huh? What are you talking about? Love? Love L? None of us have even seen L, he could be like, really old or something-"

"I've seen L-and so has, Mello," He shakes his head at Matt's gawping visage. "But we need to catch up with Mello. I can tell you on the plane there if you like..." He shrugs apathetically.

They had made it to the hastily equipped jet in time, as Mello himself had to wait for the pilot to get ready, though they heard Mello curse more than once impatiently, him sitting up near the front, with them in the back.

Matt hurriedly gets his seatbelt done, waiting impatiently for Near to hurry up and do the same. When the pale haired teen finally gets settled, he turns to Matt.

"He showed up a few months ago. I knew it was him as soon as I saw him, though he never announced himself to everyone; he had the same look in his eyes that we have, you, Mello, and I, though the look he showed was a deeper one, filled with more to it as he is older and has time to see and do more things than us." Said Near. He smiles suddenly. "L is...amazing. And nothing like anyone else would expect. Crazy raven hair, wide black eyes that go right through a body slouched from the weight of carrying the world's sins and deeds on its shoulders."

Matt stares at him.

"You sound like you like him." He said faintly.

Near blinks slowly before smiling widely.

"Of course I do. He's L. You'd like him too. And I know Mello does. And you know how often it is that he actually _likes_ someone."

Matt looks at him blankly for a moment before his eyes widen in surprise and he gawps at his friend.

"You're not telling me that Mello has a crush on him." he says, as if forgetting what Near had told him before they had gotten on the plane.

"Absolutely."

He lets his eyes close, leaning his weight slightly against the closed window.

His thoughts were running around in circles and his emotions were starting to overwhelm him, he knew it. But he couldn't help himself; when it came to L, everything got thrown out the window and all was left was his feelings for the man, and making sure that nothing happened to L.

He realized that he had a schoolboy infatuation with the man and rather didn't care. He knew nothing would come of it; the man seemed practically a-sexual, but that didn't stop him from liking him. And besides...there was someone he liked that was much more approachable anyway. Well...two of them really. Even if one of the two seemed as coldly dispassionate as L did.

He hadn't forgotten the time he met L, so many months ago; it was something that he would never forget; the man was a force all on his own, one which was overwhelming to everyone around him, though the teen suspected that few had ever been around him at all. The lengths he went to ensure his privacy was proof enough.

Mello lets out a low sigh of relief as they finally take off, knowing that every minute, every second he wasn't there, something could happen to the world's greatest detective. L may have been the top three detectives in the world, but that didn't change the fact that underneath it all, underneath the facts and myths of L, there was the humanity that was all L, the man.

He had a wonderful glimpse at that humanity, if only briefly, and he didn't want to ever lose that. It was terrible that he had to be allowed to see L again under such circumstances as the evil known as Kira, but he would take whatever came along in order to see the man again.

: :: :

Light takes it all in quietly.

He felt he had to tell him about them, his potential successors. He had already told him about Near and Matt and was just getting to talk to him about Mello. It was possible that they would die, and he did not want to leave any secrets behind; should Light survive and he did not, and his successors came around, he wanted Light to know who they were, and what they stood to replace.

He loved Light, so Light deserved to know.

"You sound like you like them, like you've seen or met them before." Light said.

"Yes." L said, looking at Light. "They are all remarkable, in their way. In some ways they remind me of you, Light-kun."

Light blinks at that. "Really?"

L smiles at him. "Yes, you would like them. Even if your personalities clashed at first, I know that you would. But-" His smile quickly disappates and he goes on full alert once more, if he hadn't already been before. A beeping at the computer sounds once.

"Someone is coming..."

The plane lands and they all scurry off, with Matt and Near both walking quickly with Mello. The sky was just starting to lighten, just so, and Mello was in the lead, them all having gotten directions from Roger before they arrived. But no matter how fast they went, it didn't seem fast enough for Mello, even after hailing a taxi and there being little traffic. Mello was impatient in general, but when it came to something that he cared about, it became another issue entirely.

Matt knew his friend well enough to know that no matter how fast they went, it would never be fast enough for him. He had known Mello for such a long time now that knowing things about Mello was almost second nature by now. He cared about him, very much so. They were friends and they were more, and he would die before he let anything happen to Mello. Or Near for that matter; the white haired teen might have been quiet a lot of the time and generally scorned company, but when he _did_ want your company, he became a much different person, at least to Matt anyway. He liked him.

He glances at Near who was sitting in his usual postion.

Near wasn't so bad looking himself.

: :: :

It had been silent as they rode up the elevator up to where L and Light were staying at, but he didn't mind. He would have that pleasant sound of screams soon enough. When he and his lesser self step out of the elevator, he turns to Aizawa-Kira and his lesser self nods.

It was when they started up the hallway that he started to shriek and shout.

"Aizawa-san! No! What are you doing! Let me go! I just wanted to see Light-!" Aizawa-Kira's eyes glint for a brief instant and they share a smile, before Aizawa-Kira takes the gun out of its holster and puts it to Kira's head.

"Just get in there!" Barked Aizawa-Kira.

He gets pushed into the room, gun against his head and watches L and Light stand up in surprise.

Gotcha.

"Aizawa!"

"Aizawa-san!"

"What are you doing?" yelled Light.

Aizawa grabs onto Misa's arm hard, gun still pointed at the side of her face with his other hand. He grins maniacally at them, a sickening sight on his face and they both knew that that wasn't Aizawa anymore.

"Damn you Kira! Let Amane-san go!"

Aizawa-Kira's grin widens. "Or what? You'll kill me? Or rather, this body? I will just find another to take over, so it would not matter."

He sounded confident, overly so, but he could have been telling the truth. As they both try to calculate what they could try to do, Aizawa pushes Amane to the side hard, with her tumbling out of sight behind a sofa. He comes stalking forward, gun still held up and pointing at them this time. He glances to the side to see Ryuk and Jastin standing there, both still eerily silent.

"Ah, so you thought that this jeweled idiot would help you? He does nothing, never says anything, or helps anyone. He's useless, just like Ryuk is."

Ryuk's eyes flash in the light momentarily. "You can talk your big talk all you like, Kira, but you can't touch me, even if you are something not purely human or Shinigami. I'm just here to watch the show."

"Then I'm sure you'll enjoy this show! Amusement shall be ha-" He whips around quick as lightning and shoots at L as he attempts to tackle him; it grazes the detectives shoulder and he falls back, blood dripping to the ground.

"L-kun!" Light rushes over and grabs onto L, looking to his face before glaring at Kira.

"Don't think I'm not willing to use human methods to do what must be done." Aizawa-Kira says coldly. "Because I am more than willing to."

"You bastard!" rasped Light.

Aizawa-Kira grins. "Yes, quite. Because of you picking up the Notebook no less, the reason I was able to free myself from the confines of the Notebook and become something better than human, better than Shinigami!"

"Soon."

Aizawa-Kira and Light both whip their heads around as the jeweled skeleton finally speaks in his raspy voice.

"The end is soon." Jastin smiles.

Before any response could be had, Misa shrieks from behind the couch, quite loudly.

"No! This can't be! Why is it not working?"

She stands up hurridly and a notebook and pen was clearly in her hands.

"I took the liberty of switching your Note, Kira, with that of a regular human one, when you got thrown to the floor." Jastin said, looking at Misa. Misa's eyes widen, as do that of Light's as he realizes what is happening.

"You're Kira too! But how-?" Light quickly stands.

"Fine, then." Aizawa-Kira says. L starts to stir behind Light with a moan. "I'll just do it the fucking old fashioned way then-!" The gun in his hand points very quickly at Light and he starts to fire, but groans in pain as a sudden shot rings out and hits his hand, knocking the gun out of it. More shots fire in quick succession and Aizawa-Kira falls to the ground, Misa-Kira shrieks and runs forward, but gets shot down as well.

Out of the darkened corridor comes a pale haired teenager, wearing white pajamas and looking, glaring, at the bodies on the floor, a red haired teenager who held a gun in his left hand and looking grim and finally, a yellow haired teenager, the oldest of the three, gun outstretched in his right hand and looking very, very, angry.

"How dare you, you stupid fuck? How dare you lay a hand on L!" The yellow haired teen yelled at the prone bodies on the ground. He points his gun down at Aizawa-Kira's body.

"No! That's enough Mello, they're down!" exclaimed the red haired teen.

So the yellow haired teen was Mello then? And from the almost indifferent expression on the white haired teen, Light could guess that he was Near and the redhead was Matt.

"Damn you," rasped Kira, the one from Amane's body, as the one in Aizawa was silent...dead? "You truly think this will make a difference? I have killed Soichiro, Matsuda, Mogi, Ide and Aizawa; I have taken their energies. Kill this body and I will merely find another!" 

"No. You will not, abomination." said Jastin. Apparently Jastin could be seen by all, because they all turn to the Shinigami, apparently Ryuk could be seen by the teens as well (from the way their eyes moved to look at them), maybe because he was in such close proximity to Jastin? "You do not possess your Note. If it burns away, then you will die in that body." He glances at L.

"Kira will end here." said L, groaning as he sat up. The Note appears in L's hands, apparently Jastin could move it to who he wished. A couple of matches on the table in front of them, leftover from Ide's smoking habits, served its purpose and the bloody end of Kira was watched by all.

Mello thrusts his gun at Matt who takes it in surprise and rushes over. He comes to a halt in front of Light and L, thoughtful, before shrugging as if to say 'the hell with it' and hugs Light, then L.

"Fuck, I thought you were dead, or were in danger," moaned Mello. All his bravado from mere moments earlier seemed to disappate, though that hard look in his eyes still lingered, something that Light noticed in the other two teens as well; it was a look he recognizes well as he had seen it on Lawliet's face many times.

He watches as Lawliet's hands hesitate for a moment before hugging Mello back. L was so unsure of intimacy of any sort, even the innocent sort, as he was so unused to it; the expression on his face was rather cute.

"I'm fine, but ow!" He exclaims dramatically. "You should know to be more careful than to hug onto someone so tightly who had been grazed by a bullet!"

"Hmph." Mello snorts. "I don't give a flying fuck. Who came up with that shit anyway?"

My...Mello was certainly a dirty mouth.

Light didn't feel jealous as he looked at the sight-he knew of L's feelings for him all too clearly, though that wasn't to say that he wasn't jealous at all; his hands itched to hug his lover. Lawliet glances up and the smile on his face deepens.

"I love you, Light-kun." L said. Mello glances at Light.

"Light Yagami?" He heard murmured by Mello and the other two teens.

"I love you too." Light said faintly.

Mello's eyes narrow as he looks at Light, but after a moment, he finally nods,

acceptingly, moving back, blinking in surprise and looking down as both Near and Matt take one of his hands in their own, though Near was looking away, one hand twirled in his hair and Matt was taking in Light and L.

Jastin disappears suddenly, though none of them noticed, and when he does, the bodies of Amane-Kira and Aizawa-Kira and the mess around them, also disappear.

Ryuk emerges from the kitchen, where he had apparently went in the confusion and was munching on a few apples, looking quite content.

Light supposed he would have to share L now with these three, at least on cases. But otherwise the detective was all his; he loved him and reveled in the fact that L loved him too.

Things looked like they were about to keep getting interesting.

_The End_

: :: :

 


End file.
